Test of Fire
“…and made his sons pass through fire,”
In the days of the kings of Israel, all its neighboring nations delighted themselves in the practice of idolatry. Israel was seduced to get involved in these dreadful pagan ceremonies. Instead of being a channel of blessings and a beacon of pure light, God’s people became sinners, and darkness.
One of the most horrible practices they engaged in was that of human sacrifice. King Ahaz for example, sacrificed his sons into the blazing arms of Molech, the abominable idol of the Canaanites. Can you imagine any parent burning their own children to appease an idol? Many parents in Israel passed their children through the fire, including many kings, provoking the wrath of God.
God does something similar with his children, but entirely different. He allows for us to go though fiery tests to perfect our faith. The differences between Molech and God’s fire are exceptionally great. Molech’s fire was satanic, murderous and destructive. Those who played with this fire were burned forever.
God’s fiery trials on the other hand, are for our good. His tests of fire do not kill innocent human lives, but it destroys the works of wickedness, doubt, bitterness and human weaknesses. God’s tests, though hard and incomprehensible at times, always produce the good intended by the Lord in our lives.
I sincerely hope that you would pass through this cleansing fire with flying colors. The tests of God are a blessing, even though at the time, they bring some discomfort. Romans 8:28 declares that, “all things (even trials) work together for our good.”
